"If these visions are always true, why are you working so hard to see that things turnout?"
"For myself there is no choice," Jayewardene said. "I cannot let the visions dictate how I lead my life, so I try to act as I would have without such knowledge. And a little knowledge of the future is very dangerous. The final outcome is not my only concern. What happens in the interim is equally as important. If anyone was killed by the ape because I knew it would ultimately have its humanity restored, I would be guilty of having caused that death."
"I think you're being a little hard on yourself." Paula gave his shoulder a light squeeze. "There's only so much anyone can do."
"Those are my beliefs." Jayewardene turned around and looked into her eyes. She returned the look for an instant, then sank back next to Danforth.
"Something going on up ahead," Saul said in a level, almost disinterested tone.
They were at the top of a hill. The trees had been cleared away from the roadside for a hundred yards or so on either side, giving them an unobstructed view.
Sri Pada's peak was still shrouded in the early morning mist. Helicopters circled something unseen near the base of the mountain.
"Think it's our boy they're after?" asked Danforth. "Almost certainly." Jayewardene wished he had brought along field glasses. One of the circling shapes might be Radha and Tachyon, but from this distance there was no way to tell. The clearing ended, and they were again surrounded by jungle.
"Want me to jack it up a little?" Saul crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray.
"As long as we get there alive," Paula said, fastening her seat belt.
Saul pushed the accelerator down a little farther, leaving a spray of mud behind them.
They parked behind a pair of abandoned buses that blocked off the road. No one was visible other than the beast and its attackers. The pilgrims had either fled up the mountain or back down the road into the valley. Jayewardene walked as quickly as he could up the stone steps, the others following behind him. The helicopters had kept the ape from making it very far up the mountain.
"Any sign of our elephant?" asked Danforth.
"Can't see them from here." Jayewardene's sides already hurt from the exertion. He paused to rest a moment and looked up as one of the choppers dropped a steel net. There was an answering roar, but they couldn't tell if the net had found its target.
They worked their way up the steps for several hundred yards, passing through an empty but undamaged rest station. The helicopters were still pressing their attack, although they appeared to be fewer in number now. Jayewardene slipped on one of the wet flagstones and smashed his knee against a step edge. Saul grabbed him by the armpits and lifted him up. "I'm all right," he said, painfully straightening his leg. "Let's keep on."
An elephant trumpeted in the distance. "Hurry" said Paula, taking the stairs in twos. Jayewardene and the others trotted up after her. After another hundred-yard climb he stopped them. "We have to cut across the mountain's face here. The footing is very dangerous. Hold on to the trees when you can." He stepped out onto the moist soil and steadied himself against a coconut palm, then began working slowly toward the direction of the battle.
They were slightly higher than the ape when they got close enough to see what was going on. The monster had a steel. net in one hand and a stripped tree in the other. It was holding Radha and the two remaining helicopters at bay like a gladiator with a net and trident. Jayewardene couldn't see Robyn but assumed that the beast had her in the top of a tree again.
"Well, now that we're here, what the hell do we do?" Danforth leaned against a jak tree, breathing hard.
"We go get Robyn." Paula wiped her muddy hands on her shorts and took a step toward the ape.
"Wait." Danforth grabbed her hand. " I can't afford to lose you too. Let's see what Tachyon can do."
"No," Paula said, twisting away. "We have to get her out while the ape's distracted."
The pair stared hard at each other for a moment, then Jayewardene came between them. "Let's get a bit closer and see what's possible."
They half-slid, half-walked down the slope, then hit a ledge that was deep mud. Jayewardene felt it slip uncomfortably into his shoes. Robyn was still nowhere in sight,